Thomas Remains at Michigan for Senior Year
1/10/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
| | Thomas |
"I want to come back and be a leader," added Thomas. "A lot of guys were [leaders] to me, and now it's my turn."
Thomas, an All-Big Ten Conference second team selection by the coaches and media in 1999, rushed for a career-best 1,297 yards on 301 carries and scored 17 rushing touchdowns. He is second all-time in Michigan season records in both carries and rushing TDs, while his rushing yardage total lists tied for 11th.
Thomas had seven 100-yard rushing games this season (streak of six ended against Alabama in the Orange Bowl), highlighted by a career-high 197-yard rushing output on a school-record-tying 42 carries and three rushing TDs at Indiana. His 1,297 yards accounted for 89 percent of U-M's 1,462-yard season total and Thomas scored 17 of the Wolverines' 21 rushing touchdowns.
"It's rewarding to know that Anthony Thomas, from Winnfield, La., came to Michigan, and is going to leave here with a degree," head coach Lloyd Carr said. "I don't want to go through another season like we did with one guy carrying most of the load. Not many guys can do that."
In career rushing, Thomas ranks second in touchdowns (37), fourth in carries (605) and ninth in rushing yards (2,739). He needs 333 yards next season to vault into the top five in career rushing yards at Michigan and 1,654 yards to equal the school rushing record of 4,393 yards held by Jamie Morris (1984-87). Thomas also needs just 11 rushing touchdowns to surpass the school mark of 47 TDs set by current Oakland Raiders tailback Tyrone Wheatley (1991-94).
Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
